What happens to veterans if the government shuts down?

— Vital services for veterans will not be threatened if the government shuts down this weekend.

The Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, including the Dayton VA Medical Center, would remain open.

After previous partial shutdowns caused headaches for the VA, the department lobbied Congress to fund the VA on a two-year budget cycle. That exempts the department from the latest funding skirmish in Washington.

About 4 percent of the department’s workforce — nearly 16,000 workers — would be subject to furloughs during a shutdown, with almost half of that total coming from the Veterans Benefits Administration, according to Navy Times.

Veterans would still get checks during a shutdown, but some education benefit programs would cease as well as the hearing of case appeals.